Live coverage with Malcolm Farr SENATOR says Aussies must have a say on $11bn tax before they're &quot;shacked up with it&quot;.

By Malcolm Farr, National Political Editor

NewsComAuJune 20, 20115:57pm

Flying the flag for the republic in the 1999 referendum. Tony Abbott wants Australia this time to vote on Labor's planned carbon tax, although he still won't back it if Australia says yes. Picture: Adam BakerSource:Supplied

TONY Abbott wants a plebiscite on carbon tax and Julia Gillard welcomes New Zealand Prime Minister John Key as she deals with the fallout from bad polls on the anniversary of her ousting of Kevin Rudd. Live updates throughout the day (all times in AEST).

3.52pm Senior National Barnaby Joyce has made clear his interest in moving to the Lower House seat of New England with a personal attack on sitting independent MP Tony Windsor today.

Senator Joyce said Mr Windsor's rejection of a plebiscite on a carbon pricing policy would rob people in the seat of a chance to have their say.

Mr Windsor said he had stood for re-election last August backing a carbon pricing scheme, meaning he consider he already had a mandate.

But Senator Joyce said: "If democracy means anything then it means that people should be able to say yes or no to an $11 billion tax before they are shacked up with it.

"Tony Windsor now says that there is no need for a plebiscite because there is no carbon tax. Does that mean he will support one once the details of the carbon tax are announced?"

Senator Joyce and Mr Windsor have clashed before but the hostility has increased since the Queenslander confirmed he wanted to move to New South Wales and possibly the NSW seat of New England to get a House of Representatives berth.

Senator Joyce was born and educated and married in the area.

He said today: "The fact is Tony Windsor is now one of the most loyal lieutenants of the Australian Labor Party and must accept responsibility for all that they are."

3.10pm Australians overwhelmingly oppose a total ban on live cattle exports and want compensation for graziers hit by the current suspension of the trade.

The NZ emissions trading scheme was started by a Labour administration but continued by Mr Key's conservative government, and he praised its operation today.

"What I can tell you about the emissions trading scheme in New Zealand is that it's worked," he told reporters in Canberra just before his address to a joint sitting of Parliament, a first for a New Zealand leader.

"In the time that we have had it in place, all the applications for new electricity generation have been in the renewable space."

Mr Key said his ETS added about $150 a year to household expenses. The penalty has been capped at about NZ$12 , or Australian $10 a tonne of carbon pollution produced by a company. The penalty is expected to rise to NZ$25 by by 2013.

They called instead for Mr Abbott to allow a conscience vote among Opposition MPs should carbon pricing legislation come before Parliament.

"Because I know for a fact there are people in the Coalition side of the Parliament very, very interested in the substantive issue addressing climate change," Mr Windsor said.

"So perhaps there is a compromise position in relation to this. The representatives of the people ...be freed up to vote with their conscience."

oakeshott windsorSource:The Daily Telegraph

Greens MP Adam Bandt also has rejected the plebiscite proposal. Independent Andrew Wilkie wants more advice on it. But it would seem the cross-bench backing Mr Abbott would need is not there.

However, the view of the independents about what Mr Oakeshott called the "Monday surprise" was that it was a stunt and not a genuine bid for a referendum.

"For those of you who weren't listening last week, both Tony and I were highly critical of the Government spending $12 million on Government advertising for a policy that doesn't exist. Likewise the same argument applies to spending $80 million (on a plebiscite) on a policy that doesn't exist."

Mr Windsor said: "I think it's probably a stunt, and I think most people probably do.

"Theoretically at least, you would be agreeing to a piece of legislation about which we have absolutely no detail. There is no carbon tax.

"And it's very much akin to the Government last week announcing $12 million in terms of promotional funding for something that doesn't exist.

"And now we've being asked, a week before the senate changes its numbers, to support a plebiscite about a carbon tax that doesn't particularly exist and may not exist."

12.40pm The cost of Tony Abbott's plebiscite plan will influence its success, and at the moment no one knows for sure what that cost will be.

Plebiscites are expensive but how expensive depends on whether or not they are attached to a full election.

A full House of Representatives election with a half-Senate ballot cost $161.3 million last August.

RepublicSource:Supplied

Flying the flag for the republic in the 1999 referendum. Tony Abbott wants Australia this time to vote on Labor's planned carbon tax, although he still won't back it if Australia says yes. Picture: Adam Baker

“How you could put this forward, and then say you would reject the outcome if it didn't go your way, that just shows that it's a stunt.''

Meanwhile, Independent MP Andrew Wilkie says he wants to consult Mr Abbott and the Prime Minister and get advice from parliamentary officers as to whether the proposed plebiscite is constitutional. “I'm yet to make a decision,'' he said.

10.40am Julia Gillard today hosts a history-making visit by her New Zealand counterpart, John Key.

After a ceremonial welcome and talks in the Cabinet Room, Mr Key will this afternoon address a joint sitting of Parliament, the first Kiwi leader to receive the privilege.

Question Time has been scrapped for the day.

Julia GillardSource:Getty Images

Busy week: Julia Gillard will be marking her first year as Prime Minister on Friday; John Key will be making history this afternoon when he addresses Parliament. Picture: Getty Images.

It will be a busy start to a critical week leading to the first anniversary of Ms Gillard’s ousting of Kevin Rudd.

10.10amTony Abbott says the Opposition won't adopt the Government's carbon pricing scheme if it was put to a plebiscite and passed.

The Opposition Leader indicated today only the Government would be bound by the result.

When asked his position should a carbon price be accepted at a plebiscite, he told news.com.au:

"I would still think a carbon tax was bad."

The Opposition argues it is up to the Government to get a mandate for its plan to reduce carbon emissions by penalising polluters. The details of the scheme are still being worked out by a committee behind closed doors.

Mr Abbott will this week push legislation that would require the Government to put its carbon policy to a plebiscite within 90 days. It is estimated the plebiscite would cost about $70 million.

"Something of this nature must go to the people before it becomes law," he told ABC Radio today.

"This is the vote that the Prime Minister (Julia Gillard) didn't allow us to have at the last election," he said.

Government leader in the House of Representatives Anthony Albanese dismissed the move as a stunt and that the Opposition had not accepted the outcome of the election last year.

"What we are seeing is the longest dummy-spit in Australian political history and an attempt to impose it on the Australian body politic. We will have a parliamentary vote on any legislation regarding action on climate change."

Greens leader Bob Brown called it a "tricky political manoeuvre" and a waste of money.

"Why didn't he have a plebiscite on the invasion of Iraq," he told ABC Radio.

"His government of the time didn't even ask the people of Australia about that, didn't ask the Parliament."

Tony AbbottSource:Supplied

Tony Abbott, showing off his fancy footwork at the Midwinter Ball in Canberra, is hoping to trip Labor up on carbon pricing. Picture: Supplied